Sports
1B
The University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, May 11,2004
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
First-year impression
Big 12 North recruits to make big entrance
By Kevin Flaherty
kflaherty@kansan.com
Kansas senior sportswriter
Every season, recruits step into the Big 12 Conference and make an immediate impact for several teams. Last season included Donte Nicholson, Oklahoma, and Gabe Toomey, Kansas, to name a few. Here are the impact recruits for every team in the Big 12 North, and a developmental recruit who should figure into the mix in a year or two. This is part one of a two part series, and tomorrow will feature the recruiting classes of the Big 12 South.
Iowa State
Impact player: Terrance Highsmith athlete
Highsmith played quarterback and punter at Fort Scott Communitv
College and was a standout defensive back and basketball player in high school. While his talents as quarterback may not transfer well to
Division I football, Highsmith is an excellent all around athlete who could find time at a number of positions on a team lacking in overall speed.
team lacking in Developmental prospects: Jason Scales, running back, Webster Patrick, running back
Scales and Patrick are two of the top players and part of a five-person running back class. Scales once accounted for a state-record nine touchdowns in a game, while Patrici is the big-play back with explosive speed.
While Stevie Hicks has emerged in the Cyclone backfield as the starting running back, the two freshmen are too talented to sit for long. Look for Scales and Patrick to get carries as Hicks' backup, and one of them should emerge as a 1,000-yard rusher in a couple of years.
Kansas
Impact players: Theo Baines, cornerback, Charlton Keith, defensive end
Baines and Keith join a defense that allowed more than 30.5 points per game and was regularly torched by opposing quarterbacks. Keith was Freshman All-America at Minnesota and should help the team as a situational pass rusher. Baines started from day one in the spring and is a solid cover cornerback. Combined with Charles Gordón, Baines will help the secondary improve 200 percent from last season. Both players should make an immediate impact.
an immediate impact Developmental prospect: Mike Rivera, linebacker
Rivera has all of the athletic skills to compete immediately if the Jayhawks weren't so loaded at linebacker. At 6-3, 240 pounds with great speed and acceleration. Rivera is exactly what teams look for in a Big 12 middle linebacker.
SEE IMPRESSION ON PAGE 8B
Lone Star State key to success
By Kevin Flaherty
kflaherty@kansan.com
kansen senior sportswriter
When recruiting in the Big 12 Conference, the state of Texas is kev.
Packed with high-caliber players, teams from the Big 12 must fill in with players from Texas to compete. Last season, both Texas and Texas A&M had national top 10 recruiting classes without signing a single player from out of state.
The Jayhawks tried to do a little bit more than compete, signing half of their class from the Lone Star State.
then class from the lacada Kansas was able to land 11 players from Texas in this recruiting class, including players at every position on the football field except linebacker.
Marcus Herford, Cedar Hill, Texas, is a mobile quarterback and the number 25 dual threat quarterback in the nation according to Rivals.com. He has the speed, 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, to play different positions, but Mark Mangino, Kansas football
coach, said that he would remain a quarterback for now.
Gary Green, San Antonio, was the number seven all-purpose running
back in the nation. The fastest and quickest player in the class, 4.4, Green should fit the mold of the smaller speed backs that fit so well into spread passing attacks.
Dexton Fields, Dallas, is a wide receiver with good
Herford
size, 6-foot-0, 180 pounds, and great speed. 4.4. Fields is a big-play waiting to happen and should team with last season's Texas wide receiver Moderick Johnson to give the Jayhawks a bright future.
Jim Reuber, Plano, will give the Jayhawk quarterbacks an athletic tight end to throw the ball to. He is a good size for a freshman at tight end, 6-4.
SEE STATE ON PAGE 8B
The ball is in your court
Residents of McColum Hall played yesterday afternoon on the basketball courts near Daisy Hill. They play often and said the games can get competitive because it is the same group that plays every day.In front are Marcus Dodd, St. Francis freshman; Ryan Reiss, Plains sophomore; Garret Nader, Chicago freshman; and Jeff Erwin, Basalt, Colo., freshman. In back are Rahul Gupta, Overland Park freshman; Mike Baker, Chicago freshman; and Joe Bedalow, Chicago freshman.
BASKETBALL
High school recruits visit campus but don't commit
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan Chicago freshman
Two high-profile basketball recruits paid visits to Kansas over the weekend: Alex Galindo, 6-foot-6 small forward from New Jersey, and Tyler
Hansbrough, 6-9 power forward from Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Both said they enjoyed their visits to the University, according to jayhawkslant.com.
Galindo is still trying to decide where he'll play basketball next year.
Galindo
He told jayhawkplant.com he planned to make his decision a couple days after he returned from
He has visited Pittsburgh and Rutgers, and he is touring Georgetown.
In addition to Kansas, he is considering Kentucky, North Carolina and Missouri.
Hansbrough will be a high school senior next year. Rivals.com ranks him as the No.2 prospect in the class of 2005
Georgetown tomorrow.
Kansas was Hansbrough's last official visit. davidkentland.com
Jayhawkslant.com reported that he may make an
unofficial visit to North Carolina this weekend, but following his visit to Kansas, Hansbrough said he wasn't sure that would happen.
Hansbrough
Kansas still has two available scholarships for next season.
Galindo, 6-5 shooting guard Malik Hairston and 6-10 center C.J. Giles are still considering the University.
Kansas Staff Reports
Kansas to face Oral Roberts
Red-hot Golden Eagles pose challenge for struggling Jayhawks
By Ryan Colaiani
rcolaianni@kansan.com
kansan sportswriter
The Kansas Jayhawks will face another top-ranked opponent tomorrow as they take on the 16th-ranked Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. The 'Hawks were swept over the weekend against second-ranked Texas.
The losses over the weekend dropped the Hawks to 26-29-1.
"We are going through a hard time right now, and I've been pleased with the fact that our guys are still giving their max effort," coach Ritch Price said.
The Jayhawks and Golden Eagles met earlier this season in Tulsa, Okla., when Kansas fell 2-1 in 10 innings.
The Golden Eagles come to Lawrence boasting a 37-8 record.
Andy Scholl, junior left fielder, hit during the second inning of yesterday's game against SMS. He was thrown out at first base.
SEE KANSAS ON PAGE 8B
TALK TO SPORTS: Contact Henry C. Jackson or Maggie Newcomer at SPORTS@KANSAN.COM
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